I am putting quarter skins on my 65. I used the stitch weld method to put them on. Everything looks good but how much of the weld do I need to grind down. I am afraid if I go to far I will make the metal thin. Does it need to be smooth? Just a small ridge? As you can tell this is my first time at quarters and I don't want to screw it up.

First quarter job doesn't matter at all, how about first welding job? If that is the case, then we have a number of things to look at.

These welds, did they "suck" down the surrounding metal? That usually happens, I do this stuff everyday at work and when a seam is welded, it is going to "suck" down a little. If this is the case, you do not need to grind them hardly at all, they will be buried under body filler.

Not every weld is going to sink down, for that matter if you want perfection and have some experiance you can keep it from sinking or "massage" the metal back into place. When this is the case, then the weld is going to be higher than the surrounding area. You can grind it down flush with the surrounding area IF and this is a BIG IF the weld penetrated the metal well. If it penetrated properly than the weld has melted the metal together and that lump of weld on the top is "left over" and totally unnessisary. You can grind it off without any worry what so ever. But I have to tell you, if you are new at this, it is VERY likely these welds did not penetrate properly and that weld you see is "sitting" on top of the metal. It may be holdinig the metal together just fine but if you grind it flat you will be grinding off the weld totally.

You can do some tests of course by doing some of these welds on a test panel (two welded together) and then grind the welds off to see what you have. I ALWAYS recommend little tests like this, it just gives you SO MUCH more of an idea of what you have. You can look behind your welds and see if there is penetration on the car as well. If you can see behind the weld, is it coming thru to the back side? You should be able to weld a bead on a single piece of metal and feel a "bead" of sorts on the back side. Now, doing this is a lot easier than welding two pieces together so don't fool yourself after laying a bead on a test panel and it is fine. It may be totally different than what you have on the car. But if you do a number of test welds, grind them down, fold the metal to see if they held and so on, it will give you a MUCH better idea of what you are working with.

Another issue here is you need to do more than stitch weld that quarter. You need to completly weld any seams that will be seen (well buried under filler that will be seen) or they will show up later.

Between shrinking of products and movment of the two panels after the car is driven, you will see these seems.

Take your time and weld short 1/2" welds. Weld one at the front of the quarter, then do another at the rear. Leave it for ten or fifteen minutes, then come back and weld a couple more spaced far apart as to not concentrate heat in one area. Let these welds cool a goooooood long time. Find something else to do, work on some other part of the car a little between welds.

Have fun!

Hi Brian
I have a ? what about cooling the welded area with a rag soaked in water. I have heard ( mind you not seen ) of old time body techs doing this as to keep the work flowing smoothly once they are setup and everything is clamped in place. And thanks for all the info you post here. It has really opened a line of discussion with everything you post here and the advise you give.

I keep an air hose hanging on my belt, as soon as I weld a 1/2 inch or so I apply air directly to the weld untill I can lay my hand on it. This doesn't make as much mess as cold water, and is a milder shrink.

Troy

Ive never understand WHY anyone would cool the weld be it water or air.

When you weld the metal is actually shrinking, very basic metalurgly(sp?) Plus cooling it can also make the metal work hardned and when you work hardnen the metal it becomes brittle.

I would NOT cool the weld. If you allow it to cool by itself the metal or most of it will return to its original state or position.
If you cool you are just shrinking the metal even more then it is already, and you DONT want that.
Watch some of those metal masters that metal finish EVERYTHING, they use no cooling method and after every tack weld they use the hammer on dolly method to strech the metal back out.
Doing this controls the metal and keeps it from getting out of hand...Eric

Ditto Eric, cooling the weld is an "Old husbands tale" that just doesn't hold water, if you'll pardon the pun. smile.gif

Quenching a weld does harden it and help flash rust your repair.